As Somerset celebrated signing Twenty20 world record holder Richard Levi, his future team-mate Nick Compton was progressing in contrasting style towards his own record.

Levi, 24, took Chris Gayle's record for the highest individual score in international Twenty20 with 117 not out off 51 balls against New Zealand at Hamilton in his second match for South Africa in February. He reached 100 off 45 balls, also a world record.

Compton may become the first batsman since Graeme Hick in 1988 to total 1,000 runs before the end of May. By reaching 48, he had moved to within 133 of the target when bad light intervened at The Oval, where Somerset have strengthened their position against Surrey, even though the home side avoided the follow-on.

England's Under-19 wicketkeeper Ben Foakes fell seven runs short of a Championship debut century but helped Essex gain a first-innings lead against Leicestershire at Grace Road.

Foakes, who has two hundreds with the U-19s and is highly regarded at Chelmsford, stroked his way to a 74-ball maiden fifty and had 13 boundaries to his name on 93 at lunch. He had not added to his score, however, when he edged a ball from Wayne White to be caught behind.

At the other end of the experience scale, a century from 36-year-old Anthony McGrath has probably helped Yorkshire avoid defeat against Hampshire at Headingley, but Second Division leaders Derbyshire set themselves up for a third win of the season and pushed Glamorgan towards a fourth defeat as the Welshmen were dismissed for 188 at Derby.